District court roundup: Man receives 3-4 years in prison for battery, drugs

Mar. 6—CHEYENNE — A man was ordered in Laramie County District Court Thursday to face prison time for domestic battery and drug charges.

Jackson Taylor Nichols was sentenced by Judge Catherine Rogers to three to four years in prison for domestic battery, with a concurrent sentence of 18 to 36 months for a drug-related charge.

He pleaded guilty in July to felony domestic battery, third offense, and felony possession of heroin in two separate cases as part of a plea agreement.

County District Attorney Leigh Anne Manlove said the state planned to deviate from its previous sentencing recommendation, which was three years of supervised probation with a suspended sentence of 18 to 36 months in prison for each count, which would have run concurrent to one another. Manlove said the state no longer recommended probation.

Before Nichols was sentenced, a victim-witness coordinator read three letters from the victim, her mother and her sister describing the impact Nichols' abuse had on the victim.

Speaking on his own behalf, Nichols said he wanted to be accountable for his actions.

Additional charges of felony possession with intent to deliver heroin and misdemeanor possession of methamphetamine were dismissed at sentencing, per the agreement.

In the domestic battery case, Nichols was accused of badly assaulting his girlfriend in February 2021, causing her to be hospitalized, according to a probable cause affidavit. In the possession case, he was found to be in possession of more than 30 grams of heroin in August 2020.

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Also heard Thursday in district court:

Robert Cook Bunten III pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and battery with serious bodily injury, a felony, as part of a plea agreement.

An additional charge, felony burglary, and a circuit court case would be dismissed at sentencing, if the judge decides to follow the agreement.

The state said in the agreement it would cap its argument at an imposed sentence of eight to 10 years in prison.

Judge Rogers said Bunten's sentencing would likely be set for June 9 or 10.

Bunten had been accused of severely beating his father last September. The attack left Bunten's father with multiple broken bones, two brain bleeds and lungs filled with fluid, along with several large bruises, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Bunten's father was apparently left alone on the floor of his home for about 18 hours following the attacks, court documents say.

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Heard Feb. 24 in district court:

Matthew Hernandez pleaded no contest to third-degree sexual assault, a felony, as part of a plea agreement.

Two additional felony charges — first-degree sexual assault of a victim with mental illness, mental deficiency or developmental disability, and exploitation of a vulnerable adult — would be dismissed by the state at sentencing, if the judge decides to follow the plea agreement.

The state and Hernandez would each be free to argue for what they believe is an appropriate sentence, per the agreement. Hernandez also agreed to waive his rights on appeal, and the state is free to use "any and all facts of the investigation" as aggravating evidence to argue in front of the court.

Judge Steven Sharpe set Hernandez's sentencing for June 6.

Hernandez is accused of sexually assaulting an 18-year-old woman with developmental disabilities and mental illness in July 2019. He had been working as a job coach for a company called Love, Care & Dignity, according to a probable cause affidavit.

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Travis Patrick Garton was sentenced to three years of supervised probation, with a suspended sentence of three to five years in prison, by Judge Peter Froelicher.

Garton pleaded guilty in August to aggravated assault and battery with a deadly weapon, a felony, as part of a plea agreement. The sentence Garton received Feb. 24 aligned with the recommended sentence agreed to by the state and Garton.

Speaking before he was sentenced, Garton apologized for his actions.

In November 2020, a Cheyenne Police officer responded to a report of aggravated assault at Wyoming Motel, 1401 W. Lincolnway. A woman said her husband, Garton, had followed her to that location in his car after he got angry with her at their home, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Garton then pinned the woman between his front bumper and her driver's side door, with the woman's knee pushed against the car door hard enough to dent it.

A witness said she saw the woman's leg pinned between the cars and that the rear wheels of Garton's truck were spinning, according to the affidavit. The woman had visible bruising and swelling to her knee.

Hannah Black is the Wyoming Tribune Eagle's criminal justice reporter. She can be reached at hblack@wyomingnews.com or 307-633-3128. Follow her on Twitter at @hannahcblack.